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This is a list of higher education institutions in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan law on publicly financed universities, the University Grants Commission controls 17 Sri Lankan universities and other educational institutions, as higher education institutions.

History

The origins of the modern university system in Sri Lanka dates back to 1921 when a University college, the Ceylon University College was established at the former premises of Royal College Colombo, and was affiliated with the University of London. The college provided courses of study in art and humanities, science and medicine prepared undergraduates for examination at the University of London. The beginnings of modern higher education in Ceylon commenced in 1870 with the establishment of the Ceylon Medical School, followed by Colombo Law College (1875), School of Agriculture (1884) and the Government Technical College (1893). In 1942 the first university was established in the country was the University of Ceylon which had several campuses island wide, Colombo (established 1942), Peradeniya (established 1949), Vidyodaya (established 1959), Vidyalankara (established 1959) and Katubedda (established 1972). Vidyodaya and Vidayalankara were established under the Vidyodaya and Vidayalankara University Act No 45 of 1958. The University of Ceylon was modelled on the Oxbridge formula, at its inception the university only accommodated 904 students, which later expanded to cover a number of universities and it remained as an elite-oriented university as stated by Sir Ivor Jennings, catering to a small number of students and exclusively residential. It was dissolved in 1972 to establish the University of Sri Lanka. In 1974 the Jaffna campus was added to the University of Sri Lanka.

The change of the government in July 1977 led to dismantling of the single university apparatus with the plan of establishing independent universities. With the promulgation of the Universities Act. No 16 of 1978, state university status was restored to the six separate campuses. The University Grants Commission (UGC) was also created to plan and coordinate the state university education. After that, a number of state universities were created. All these state universities are registered under the University Grants Commission, but a few come under the auspices of ministries other than the Ministry of Higher Education, in which the UGC is a part of. Most of the state universities depend on funds given by the University Grants Commission, as it is their primary and sometimes only source of funding. Therefore, the UGC has a direct control over these universities and administer the undergraduate intake. The UGC is subordinate to the Ministry of Higher Education.

Legislation for universities

Universities in the Sri Lanka have generally been instituted by Special Presidential Decree, University Orders, Acts of Parliament and the Higher Education Act 1978.

Ordinance

• 20 of 1942 Ceylon University (Repealed in 1966)

Acts of Parliament

• Ceylon University (Amendment) Act No. 36 1956 (Repealed in 1966)
• Vidyodaya University and the Vidyalankara University Act, No. 45 of 1958 (Repealed in 1966)
• Higher Education Act No. 20 of 1966
• University of Ceylon Act No. 01 of 1972
• Universities Act No.16 of 1978 (this Act established the University Grant Commission and a University Service Appeals Board provided for the administration of universities with their campuses and outset the six campuses of the single University of Sri Lanka, the set up under the previous Act No.1 of 1972, were converted to six independent universities on 1 January 1979)

Universities

There are currently seventeen universities in Sri Lanka, which are established under the authority of the University Grants Commission. All the following universities are recognised bodies with university status (University charter) under Universities Act No.16 of 1978.

Dissolved universities

University of Ceylon

The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka (earlier Ceylon) from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the University of Sri Lanka which existed from 1973 to 1978.

University of Sri Lanka

The University of Sri Lanka was a public university in Sri Lanka. Established in 1972 by amalgamating the four existing universities, it was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1972 until 1978. The university was based at six campuses in Colombo, Peradeniya, Sri Jayewardenepura, Kelaniya, Moratuwa and Jaffna. The university was dissolved in 1978 and its six campuses became independent universities.

Other government universities

Other Government Universities which are established by Acts of Parliament of Sri Lanka. These universities are not recognised bodies with university status or university charter under Universities Act No.16 of 1978.

Degree awarding institutes

Under the Section 25 A of the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978, following institutes have been recognised to award degrees.

Rankings of universities

Webometrics rankings

2023 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities for Sri Lankan universities are listed below.

University	2023 (January edition)				2018 (July edition)				2016 (July edition)				2015 (July edition)
	Country university rank	Change in rank from previous year	World rank	Change from previous year	Country university rank	Change in rank from previous year	World rank	Change from previous year	Country university rank	Change in rank from previous year	World rank	Change from previous year	Country university rank	Change in rank from previous year	World rank	Change from previous year
Colombo	1	1	1485	679	2	1	2164	218	1		1946	93	1		2039	107
Peradeniya	2	1	1885	133	1	1	2018	140	2		2158	72	2		2230	249
Sri Jayewardenepura	3	3	1944	1127	6		3071	26	5	1	2476	615	4	2	3091	2878
Moratuwa	4		2219	502	4	1	2721	306	3		2415	8	3		2407	90
Ruhuna	5	2	2336	329	3	2	2665	31	5	1	2634	1891	6		4525	1042
Kelaniya	6	1	2971	219	5	1	2752	193	4		2559	570	4	1	3129	65
Rajarata	7		3020	1354	7	6	4374	370	13	3	6137	3570	10		9707	712
Jaffna	8		3633	751	8	1	4384	380	7	2	4004	2557	9	1	6561	664
Wayamba	9	5	4379	1030	14	4	5409	2731	10	3	5409	358	7	6	5051	6742
Sabaragamuwa	10	1	4590	560	11		5150	-865	= 11	1	6015	4987	12	1	11002	203
Eastern	11	1	4621	90	10	2	4711	1304	= 11	2	6015	5250	13	1	11265	111
Open	12	3	5140	487	9		4653	174	9	1	4479	1091	8	1	5570	419
SLIIT	13		6657	1173	13		5484
KDU	14	2	7267	1858	12		5409
Uva Wellassa	15	1	7311	3140	16	3	10451	10451	15		11664	4050	15	1	15714	989
South Eastern	16	1	7709	1011	15	3	8720	752	14	3	7968	2061	11	2	10029	1705
Visual & Performing Arts	17		15491	669	17	9	14822	10701	8	6	4121	9944	14	1	14065	1626
Last Updated according to Webometrics Ranking of World Universities January 2023 Sri Lankan Edition

See also

• Higher education in Sri Lanka
• List of research universities in Sri Lanka
• List of colleges and universities
• List of colleges and universities by country
• Sri Lanka portal

Notes

1. Foundation date of earliest higher education establishment linked to current university.
2. Foundation date of earliest higher education establishment linked to current university.
3. Date recognised as degree awarding body.

References

1. ^ de Silva, K. M. (1977). The University System of Sri Lanka.
2. ^ A People's University - A Romantic Story of Peradeniya. ICES. 1995.
3. ^ Annual report 1972. Planning and Research Unit, University of Ceylon. 1977.
4. Yong, Zhao; Ramanathan, Hema (2010). Handbook of Asian Education: A Cultural Perspective. New York: Routledge. p. 584. ISBN 978-1136721298.
5. Wickaramasinghe, N. (2005). University Space and Values Three Essays. International Center for Ethnic Studies Colombo Sri Lanka.
6. "Universities". University Grants Commission. Archived from the original on 8 June 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
7. "UNIVERSITIES, CAMPUSES AND UNIVERSITY COLLEGES". University Grants Commission.
8. "Gazette declaring Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute a university, issued". newsfirst. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
9. "Other Government Universities". University Grants Commission. Archived from the original on 8 December 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
10. "Accreditation Degree Programs". Ministry of Higher Education and Highways (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 30 July 2017.
11. "Other Recognized Degrees". University Grants Commission.
12. https://www.ugc.ac.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=101&Itemid=37&lang=en
13. https://www.ugc.ac.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=101&Itemid=37&lang=en
14. https://www.ugc.ac.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=101&Itemid=37&lang=en
15. https://www.ugc.ac.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=101&Itemid=37&lang=en
16. "Sri Lanka". webometrics. Open Publishing. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
17. "Sri Lanka". webometrics. Open Publishing. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
18. webometrics.info website. World Ranking of Top Sri Lankan Universities – 2015 July Retrieved 29 October 2016

• Universities in Sri Lanka
• Lists of universities and colleges by country
• Lists of universities and colleges in Asia
• Sri Lanka education-related lists